LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 




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Plow TO ^ONSULT 

^ATENT j^ PORTS. 




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COPYRIGHT 1891, 



H . BITN ER 



n. H. WILES. WALLACE GREENE. H BITNER. 

Wiles, Greene & Bitner, 

PATENT LAW AND PATENT SOLICITING, 

Chicago, ill., Washington, D. C, 

226 LaSalle St. Sun Building. 



WHEN AN INVENTOR HAS PAID US FOR EXAM- 
INING THE PATENT OFFICE RECORDS, to 
determine the patentability of his invention, AND WE 
REPORT THAT WE CONSIDER IT PATENTABLE, we 
prepare and prosecute his application for our usual 
fees, and, IN CASE WE FAIL TO OBTAIN A PATENT, 
WE RETURN THE WHOLE AMOUNT PAID, except the 
fee for the search. 



^ 



^lnite^ states Senate, 

WASHINGTON, D. C, May I, 1890. 
TO ^A^HOM IT MAY CONCERN: 

Wiles, Greene & Bitner, Attorneys and Solicitors of 
Patents, of Chicago, 111., and \i^ashing:ton, D. C, are well known 
by me to be men of standing and character, both personally and 
professionally. 

Any business intrusted to their care will receive prompt 
attention. 

C. B. Far vy ELL.. 






A COPY OF THIS PAMPHLET WILL BE GIVEN YOU UPON APPLICATION TO 

Wiles, Greene A. Bitner. (See Opposite Page.) 



Patent Ofkick Reports 



■HIM XHEK- 



F>V7BLIO L-IBR75RV. CHICAGO, ILL-. 



I HE department of the public library, located at the north 
end of the fourth floor of the city hall, contains a com- 
plete set of the publications of the United States Patent Office, 
and nearly complete sets of the publications of the Patent 
Offices of England, France and Germany, 

The publications of the United States Patent Office com- 
prise: 

First. The old Patent Office Reports, published and dis- 
tributed gratuitously up to and including the year 1871. These 
reports are upon the shelves at the right of the east window of 
the room in which this department of the library is located, and 
they contain copies of the more important figures of the draw- 
ings, together with the claims, and in some instances a brief 
description, of all patents issued down to the end of the year 
rSyi. 

(1) 



Second. A complete set to date of the Official Gazette, 
bound in volumes, down to the current numbers, which are 
placed in temporary binders. The Gazette is kept upon the 
shelves between the two windows, and just at the right of the 
librarian's desk. It contains the most important figure of the 
drawing, and the claims of each patent issued since 1871. 

Third. A complete set of the monthly volumes of copies 
of patents, which are placed upon the shelves as fast as issued 
by the Patent Office. These volumes occupy the entire east 
end of the room, and extend around upon the north and south 
sides thereof. They contain full copies of the specifications 
and drawings of all patents issued by the United States. The 
numbers of the first and last patents contained in each volume 
are printed upon the back thereof. In looking up a patent 
these monthly volumes should always be consulted as it is only 
in them that a full copy of the drawings and specification can 
be found; and it frequently occurs that the figures of the 
drawing which are not shown in the Gazette have a very im- 
portant bearing upon the points under examination. 

Fourth. The annual indexes to the monthly volumes, and 
the Official Gazette. These indexes are at the right of the 
door through which the room is entered, and contain, first, a 
list of the names, arranged alphabetically, of all inventors who 
obtained patents during the year; second, a Hst of the titles, 
arranged alphabetically, of all patents issued during the year. 
At the right hand of each page of these indexes are six col- 
umns, ruled separately, and opposite the name of each inventor 
or the title of each invention, as the case may be, is placed in 

(2) 



the first column, the number of the patent; in the second col- 
umn, the date of the patent; (which, of course, is the same as 
that of the monthly volume and of the Official Gazette in which 
it appears), in the third column, the page of the monthly vol- 
ume on which the specification of the patent is printed; in the 
fourth column, the page of the monthly volume on which the 
drawing is printed; in the fifth column, the number of the 
volume of the Official Gazette in which the claims of the 
patent appear; and in the sixth column, the page of the Official 
Gazette on which they are printed. 

TO FIND A PATENT. 

Either the number, or the date together with the name of 
the inventor or the invention, should be first ascertained. If 
the date of the patent is later than 1871, the annual indexes 
will readily show the page and volume of the monthly reports 
or of the Official Gazette upon which it will be found. If the 
patent was issued before 1871, it may be found in the general 
index, consisting of two volumes which is on the same shelf 
with the annual indexes. Said index contains a list, arranged 
alphabetically, of all inventions for which patents were ob- 
tained prior to 1871. Opposite the title of invention is 
placed the name of the inventor and the number and date of 
the patent. Patents issued prior to 1871 are not found so easily 
as later patents, because the arrangement and classification in 
the old Patent Office reports are not uniform and not always 
calculated to aid one who is unaccustomed to their peculiari- 
ties. As far back as 1859, ^^^^ drawings and claims were 

(3) 



arranged in regular order, according to the number of the 
patent. Hence, having once found the number, the drawing 
or the claims can be easily located. If the name of the 
inventor and the date of the patent are known, the number 
can be found either from the general index before mentioned 
or from the index printed in the first volume of each year of 
the reports. Prior to 1859, ^^^ ^^ ^^^' back as 1854, ^^e 
patents are arranged according to classes. In the last volume 
of each of these years is printed an index arranged according 
to their numbers of all patents issued during the year. This 
index is found at the commencement of volume 2 of 1854, and 
at the end of the last volume of each of the other years. If 
the number of the patent looked for is known this index should 
be consulted, and will show opposite said number the volume 
and page on which either the claims or the drawing may be 
found. At the commencement of the first volume of each 
year, from 1854 ^o 1858, an index arranged alphabetically of 
all the inventors who obtain patents during the year, is printed. 
If only the date and the name of the inventor are known, this 
index will tell the number of the patent. Prior to 1854 ^^^h 
information as is given in regard to patents is arranged in 
order, according to the numbers of the patents, similar to the 
arrangement after 1858. 

To make an Examination of all Patents Granted for a 
certain line of Inventions. 

The general index should be first examined and a memo- 
randum made of the number of each patent. The Patent Office 



reports should then be taken up, and the drawings carefully 
examined. Next, the annual indexes should be consulted, and 
a memorandum made of the pages of the monthly volumes on 
which the specifications and drawings of each patent may be 
found. Said monthly volumes should then be carefully ex- 
amined, reference being had to the description whenever the 
drawings do not clearly disclose the construction. Although 
a great rnany inventors make their own examinations to de- 
termine the advisability of applying for a patent, this is not a 
safe practice, and should not be done when the invention prom- 
ises to be of considerable value. The question as to whether 
any invention can be distinguished so clearly from all prior in 
ventions in the same line as to enable it to be protected by 
Letters Patent, is one that should be submitted only to a patent 
attorney. It frequently happens that an exceedingly import- 
ant invention, and one which can be fully protected under the 
patent law, differs so little in its general appearance from the 
drawings of prior patents that the unpracticed eye is unable 
to detect any important distinction. 

FOREIGN PATENTS. 

When a foreign patent is to be examined, the Librarian 
should be consulted; as in the case of certain countries, such 
as Germany, for instance, the arrangement of the patents is 
exceedingly confusing. The Librarian will be glad to assist 
persons in such cases or in an}- other matters pertaining to his 
department in which they may need help. 




LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

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